Would you like a job where you can see the results of your hard work on a grand scale? You might like using your practical skills, or have ideas about how public areas should look. Or, you could be interested in technical skills or using machinery, or even planning how something could be built. Either way, the vast and rewarding construction industry has something to offer everyone.
Construction projects are often complex, where there can be up to 60 different jobs involved in one building project. They all have to be done properly, and in the right order, if the building – or structure – is going to be fit for purpose and safe.
In 2024, the Scottish construction industry employed around 201,800 people, an increase of 4,400 on 2023 figures, and the construction sector was estimated to account for 7.7% of Scottish employment. ¹
There are over 150 occupations in construction and the built environment, in areas including: architecture, building technology and management, civil and structural engineering, construction crafts, landscape architecture, surveying and town and regional planning.
Jobs range from management to technician and craft roles, all requiring a wide variety of skills, and offering a wide range of opportunities and experience.
To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Pathway.
Possible employers include:
According to Construction Skills Network UK, growth is forecast to be modest for the UK construction industry in 2024, but will pick up from 2025 through to 2028, with opportunities in new housebuilding, infrastructure, and repair and maintenance work. ²
The construction workforce is forecast to grow by 2.5% by 2027, taking the number employed to 207,600. ¹ According to Scottish Construction Now, Scotland requires over 26,000 additional construction workers over the next five years to meet industry demands and sustain growth. ³
In 2024, the greatest number of construction employment was in the following regions: Glasgow College Region (33,600); Lanarkshire (32,100); Aberdeen City and Shire (24,600); and Edinburgh, East and Lothian (22,400). ¹
The top three employing occupations forecast for 2027 are skilled construction and building trades (63,300), business and public service professionals (18,900), and corporate managers (16,600). ¹
A recent study by the Federation of Master Builders highlighted that 43% of members had reported job delays because of skill shortages. The main issues were hiring qualified carpenters and joiners, bricklayers and plasterers. ¹
New construction work output declined by 5.3% in 2024, but there is growth forecast of 2.8% for 2025, followed by higher increases of 4% - 6% per annum over the next couple of years. This is predominantly a result of the UK Government’s aim to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2029. 4
CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) is the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry. You can find more information about the sectors it covers and related careers and training pathways on the CITB website.
1 Sectoral Skills Assessment: Construction, October 2024, Skills Development Scotland
2 CSN Industry Outlook - 2024-2028 (15 May 2024)
3 RLB Scotland reveals optimistic outlook for construction, Scottish Construction Now (18 March 2025)
4 Market Outlook April 2025, Thomson Gray
5 Focusing on the Skills Construction Needs, Labour Intelligence Market Report Scotland 2024-2028, Construction Skills Network/CITB/Experian
6 What do graduates do? Prospects (part of Jisc) and AGCAS (2024/25)
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